We should take down Pak flags and withdraw from FATA

[Reza_Pahlavi]

Re: We should take down Pak flags and withdraw from FATA

@Khehkeshan

After all, that’s why tribals want: withdrawal. Why not give them what they want?

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\08\15\story_15-8-2007_pg1_11

Tribesmen mark Aug 14 as ‘black day’

• Demand army pull out of tribal areas
• No Independence Day ceremonies in Swat due to security fears

By Akhtar Amin

PESHAWAR: "marked August 14 as a “black day”, in protest at the stepped up military presence in the region near the Pak-Afghan border.

Many tribesmen in Khyber Agency and 25 disputed villages adjacent to Mohmand Agency observed the 60th Independence Day by hoisting black flags on their homes. Similarly, tribesmen in South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Bajuar agencies did not observe Independence Day due to the military’s operations in the tribal areas, though the political administrations in all seven tribal agencies hoisted the national flag during ceremonies amid tight security.

“For the first time in the country’s history, numerous tribesmen did not celebrate Independence Day. There were no selling and buying of national flags and other relevant things in North Waziristan,” Haji Gul Noor from Miranshah told Daily Times. “This could be a reaction to military operations and the Taliban may have forbidden tribesmen to celebrate the day,” he added.

In Khyber Agency, thousands of armed activists of the Lashkar-e-Islami (LI), a militant organisation, staged a rally demanding that the government release their leader Mufti Munir Shakir and withdraw the army from the tribal areas.

On the LI’s call, residents of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency hoisted black flags on their houses as a mark of protest on Independence Day. Similarly, on the call of the Mohmand Resistance Movement (MRM), residents of 25 disputed villages adjacent to Mohmand Agency also observed August 14 as a black day.

The MRM’s Prof Ayaz said villagers were observing the black day because the government separated the 25 villages from Mohmand Agency and included them in settled areas some eights years ago, “against the villagers’ will”. He demanded the government re-include the villages in Mohmand Agency and withdraw troops from all tribal agencies.

In Swat, Independence Day celebrations were non-existent due to security concerns. Swat District Coordination Officer (DCO) Mohammad Javed told Daily Times that the Swat administration avoided arranging any Independence Day ceremonies for security reasons.

The FATA Grand Alliance staged a ‘peace march’ from Khyber House to the Peshawar Press Club. Led by its convener, Abdul Karim Mehsud, tribesmen from all seven agencies carried banners and placards demanding the withdrawal of the army from the tribal agencies, as well as restoration of peace.

The Peshawar district government observed an Independence Day ceremony at police lines. Due to recent suicide attacks and bomb blasts, most people in NWFP remained indoors, rather than come out onto the streets to celebrate.

“How can we celebrate Independence Day when the government has not made appropriate arrangements towards this end?” said Salim Khan at Saddar.

This is a stupid article which is short on actual details and facts, and large on generalisations, which is quite deliberately aimed at painting all the Pashtun people of FATA as traitors. The FATA territories consist of 7 tribal agencies, and over 3.5 million people, yet this article is referring only to a few places and instances, from which it then goes onto make sweeping statements against “many people in the tribal areas”. What a load of BS.

Yeh, some people in the areas adjoining Afghanistan maybe pretty angry with the govt, but then they are also angry at the Afghans, and their own tribal elders as well, for the situation in which they are in the middle of. Historically it was the Pashtun tribals of FATA which were the most ardent pro-Pakistani’s and liberated Azad Kashmir, as well fighting alongside the Pak Army in the 65 and 71 wars, and I am pretty sure most of them still are, even if they are angry at the present govt or whatever. I don’t see these people waving Afghan flags or swearing allegiance to Kabul or whatever, so we should quit making such angry statements of kicking them out of Pakistan, invading them or leaving them to the mercy of the American’s and such nonsense. Instead we should just merge FATA with NWFP, then have new provincial elections, and from there I am sure any “mscreants” in the area will be finally taken care of.